HikeArizona.COM

Wonder how long before they close the Trails in this area????

http://azstarnet.com/news/local/do-you- ... A.facebook

Seeing one of these in the wild is on my bucket list The best I've ever seen are tracks and all these people that don't want to see them run into them all the time :roll:

@Bradshaws
I saw two near Devil's Chasm a few years ago. If you want to see them you need to come to our town and use your dog as bait.
http://hikearizona.com/photo.php?ZIP=334677
http://hikearizona.com/photo.php?ZIP=333819
There have been 3 dogs taken since we moved here in March.

@MtnBart01
See, that's what I'm saying. I sure those dogs didn't want to see them. but there they were...

This topic reminds me of the day Mrs. big_load and met AZHikr4444 on the North leg of the Reavis Trail. He had just crossed paths with a mountain lion about 30 seconds before meeting us, and he was still a little distracted.

I accept we live an area where there is an abundance of wild life and consequently take precautions with my dog and little girl. The people with the flyer on my last post lost a small dog and three weeks later lost a 90lb. dog out of the same yard? I feel bad about the dogs, but...
@Bradshaws
When you do finally see one and snap the picture it's probably not a good idea to fall and injure yourself after taking a picture of one from 25 feet like the guy in the article. Seems like he was lucky this turned out ok and didn't have the disclaimer at the bottom of the topic post.

Bradshaws wrote:See, that's what I'm saying. I sure those dogs didn't want to see them. but there they were...

Bradshaws wrote:Seeing one of these in the wild is on my bucket list

Go to Sabino Canyon. People see mountain lions there all the time. When I was there last week, there was a possible sighting. Just walk the road after 6:30pm with a good flashlight. Maybe have them carry a balloon that's above their heads to make them look bigger (tho this theory of mine has never been tested). If you don't see any mountain lions, you will see plenty of snakes, skunks, toads, and tarantulas if you go in summer, so it will be worth your time. There're plenty of cheap hotels there and camping on Mt. Lemmon. You can spent the day at Mt. Lemmon and then the evening at Sabino Canyon. Sabino does get crowd on weekends, but the animals will still be there.

I've seen two adults - one at McDowell Mt. Park, one in a Scottsdale neighborhood near the Mayo Clinic ... and of course, the baby I saw a while back near Shoshone Point ...

I've only seen foot prints. I was hiking Waterfall Canyon at the White Tanks. they weren't there on the way in but they were on the way out. So close.

This is the closest I've come.

http://hikearizona.com/photo=274077

I was on North Mingus trail. There where some older track while I was on my way up but on my way down this cats track topped my inbound tracks. So I know their out there. I have a trip planned at the end of next month to Madera Canyon for a few days. I'll have to do some night exploring. I can only hope.

As for the mountain lions around Reach 11 and the Mayo clinic. I work right down the street from Mayo at the police station. The officers here always have stories of lions roaming all over the place in this neighborhood. but I drive to work along Reach 11 for years. All I've ever seen were coyotes and the occasional raccoon.

When I was a kid and my dad and I went pig or deer hunting, my job was to bushwhack/bird dog for hours on end while he had a comfortable location to glass the area.
One time we were hunting on the west side of the Verde at the end of the road south of Camp Verde. I had been covering some rough country for a couple of hours while my dad sat up on top of a small mountain, in the shade, on a soft rock nursing his coffee in the thermos... ;) Suddenly his Winchester.33 barked out. So I crouched and waited in case something came my way. After awhile I beat my way through the brush to go see my dad. I said he must have missed the deer he shot at. He replied yes and no, he did miss but it was a mountain lion. It had been following me for quite awhile and he thought it best to finally scare it off.
Someday we want to see one, but hopefully on our terms.

@Bradshaws
I've seen Bobcats at Reach11

We saw one last summer - it was bounding across the highway about 5 miles south of Payson, at 10:00 in the morning.

I've seen fresh tracks in the White Tanks as well.

@SpiderLegs
White Tanks are known for Lions...Would love to see one there!!!

Face to Face 30' away in the Bradshaws - Top of the East Fort Trail, as I was putting my camera away......

@coanbru
Timing is everything huh?

... I run into one or two each year, probably because I'm out early and on good years out so often... I find it interesting that they maintain steady eye contact for an extended period, and if you glance away, even for an instant, they tend to move on.

I had one on Finger Rock Trail allow me to follow him for a hundred yards... he was drinking at the stream crossing above Linda Vista... kept glancing up at me as I kept walking toward him. Finally he turned and moved on up the trail through the rocks... departed the trail after a while. At first I thought I'd dreamed the whole thing, then I looked down... there were the prints in the snow. Nice.

I was able to whistle another one up... I saw him dart across the trail about 30 yds ahead of me... I walked down to the spot, started softly whistling... initially, his head popped from around a tree about 30 ft above the trail... finally he walked out and just stared at me... when I made a move for my camera, glancing away... he disappeared.

They do not seem to be at all afraid... more curious... and not all that into extended sharing.

Saw my first lion walking across highway 260 near Sandrock Canyon on the Rim years ago, apparently stalking elk. Saw my 2nd lion on New Mexico highway 78 near Mule Creek a few years ago, crossing the pavement at a frighteningly fast speed. Both sightings (at night) were from the safety of my enclosed vehicle, which I was thankful for.